leaning 1 of 3

as in oblique
running in a slanting direction the leaning tower of Pisa is a popular tourist attraction in Italy

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

leaning

2 of 3

noun

leaning

3 of 3

verb

present participle of lean

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun leaning contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of leaning are penchant, proclivity, and propensity. While all these words mean "a strong instinct or liking for something," leaning suggests a liking or attraction not strong enough to be decisive or uncontrollable.

a student with artistic leanings

When might penchant be a better fit than leaning?

In some situations, the words penchant and leaning are roughly equivalent. However, penchant implies a strongly marked taste in the person or an irresistible attraction in the object.

a penchant for taking risks

When is proclivity a more appropriate choice than leaning?

The words proclivity and leaning can be used in similar contexts, but proclivity suggests a strong natural proneness usually to something objectionable or evil.

a proclivity for violence

In what contexts can propensity take the place of leaning?

The meanings of propensity and leaning largely overlap; however, propensity implies a deeply ingrained and usually irresistible inclination.

a propensity to offer advice

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of leaning
Noun
Both parents and students shared that a school's political leaning is a factor in their decision-making, with 70% of parents saying that the state in which the college is located matters to them, considering the state's political stance. De Elizabeth, Parents, 1 Oct. 2025 Everyone, regardless of their political leanings, has reason to be concerned, according to Rowland. Andrew Stanton, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 Sep. 2025
Verb
Early pages resemble Wikipedia’s format but, according to the Washington Post, are presented with a more right-leaning tone. Beatrice Nolan, Fortune, 28 Oct. 2025 To that end, Nogueira is leaning into educating via her platforms to help consumers of all makeup knowledge levels understand how to best use POV products. Noor Lobad, Footwear News, 28 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for leaning
Recent Examples of Synonyms for leaning
Adjective
  • Following that injury, speculation landed on Springer suffering an oblique injury, though the team did not reveal specifics.
    Peter Chawaga, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Oct. 2025
  • The offense looked lost when Roman Anthony went down with an oblique injury in early September.
    Gabrielle Starr, Boston Herald, 26 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • When the lines of a CME’s magnetic field and those of the Earth’s magnetic field are pointed in the opposite directions, the CME can unite with the Earth’s magnetosphere and fill it with vast quantities of solar energy.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 27 Oct. 2025
  • The contract was awarded at a time when the world was racing to field missiles that could change direction while traveling at several times the speed of sound.
    Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 27 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Selling a put under those conditions, with roughly 60 days to expiration, positions the seller to capture elevated option premium while capturing the tendency for prices to revert toward the mean.
    Michael Khouw, CNBC, 27 Oct. 2025
  • However, the former collegiate volleyball player says her husband, Philadelphia Eagles guard Landon Dickerson, doesn't share her cautionary tendencies.
    Zoey Lyttle, PEOPLE, 27 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Global markets, myriad analyses have shown, are tilting into a reality where wind and solar are the cheapest ways to generate electricity.
    Joan Meiners, AZCentral.com, 27 Oct. 2025
  • And early polling suggests the generic congressional ballot is tilting toward Democrats.
    Martha McHardy, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • On the surface, Çiftlik Bank—Turkish for Farm Bank—was little more than a FarmVille rip-off; the functionality for tending to digital crops and livestock was lifted more or less straight from their competitor.
    Moisés Naím, Literary Hub, 27 Oct. 2025
  • Isaac, who studied viticulture and enology at Washington State University, is in charge of tending to the vines.
    Lauren Green, FOXNews.com, 26 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • But as the calendar grew more crowded around the year-end holidays, studios started relying on off-peak months and began opening higher-profile films in October.
    Pamela McClintock, HollywoodReporter, 30 Oct. 2025
  • Scientists have warned that relying on solar geoengineering would be incredibly risky for humanity.
    Chris Young, Interesting Engineering, 30 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Their test setup involved a ramp containing sand to simulate sloping dunes on Mars.
    Chris Young, Interesting Engineering, 15 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Like the tides, the house is designed for effortless movement and flow.
    Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 27 Oct. 2025
  • There is the possibility of a significant storm surge and destructive waves along the southeast coast of Cuba late on Tuesday or on Wednesday with peak storm surge heights up to 11 feet above normal tide levels.
    Hannah Parry, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 Oct. 2025

Cite this Entry

“Leaning.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/leaning. Accessed 2 Nov. 2025.

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